What question did this study set out to answer?

The study investigates disaster deployment surgical training methods and the availability of training courses.

March 25, 2026

Deployment Surgical Training in the Context of EMT 2030: Preliminary Findings from a Scoping Review

Key Points

The study investigates disaster deployment surgical training methods and the availability of training courses.
Employed the PCC framework for structuring the review.
Conducted searches across multiple medical databases without date or language limits.
Used Rayyan for screening references by two independent reviewers.
Extracted data from included papers for analysis.
Identified 915 references, with 74 papers included in the final review.
Found 65 distinct disaster surgery training courses listed throughout the literature.
Highlighted the most frequently cited courses, including Advanced Trauma Life Support and Terror and Disaster Surgical Care.
Noted the concentration of publications primarily from high-income countries and a lack of standardization in training offerings.

Abstract

Introduction: The WHO Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) Initiative necessitates that EMT members receive suitable training to prepare for deployment. The WHO EMT 2030 document aims to establish training curricula to build capacity. This study aims to investigate disaster deployment surgical training to date and map training courses available. Methods: The PCC framework was used, and the eligibility criteria were set. The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Library Service was used to conduct searches of: Allied and Complementary Medicine; Cochrane; EMBASE; Health Management Information Consortium; Medline; no date or language limits were applied. Search results were imported to Rayyan and then underwent screening by two independent reviewers. Data were then extracted. Results: A total of 915 references were returned, 74 papers were included, and 48 directly discussed disaster surgery training courses. Overall, 65 courses were mentioned, the most frequently: Advanced Trauma Life Support: 14%, Terror and Disaster Surgical Care: 14%, Definitive Surgical Trauma Care: 12%, Disaster Response Course: 8%, Advanced Surgical Skills Exposure in Trauma: 8%, Major Incident Medical Management and Support: 6%, Surgical Training for Austere Environments: 6%, Advanced Course for Deployment Surgery (Cours Avancé de CHIRurgie en Mission EXtérieure): 5%, the remaining 27% accounted for other courses. These publications originated from only 19 countries; authors had affiliations with the USA in 17 cases, Germany in 11, France in 4, Australia in 3, South Africa in 3, Sweden in 3, Canada in 2, the Netherlands in 2, Switzerland in 2, the UK in 2 cases. Conclusion: This scoping review highlights a growing but still fragmented landscape of disaster deployment surgical training, with a number of frequently cited courses and a concentration of publications from high-income countries. Despite the WHO EMT 2030 emphasis on standardized, assessable, and globally accessible training frameworks, the current literature reveals variability in course offerings and geographic representation.

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